More Info: Prairie dogs take their name from the habitat they live in and their warning call, which sounds similar to a dog's bark.
Prairie dogs are herbivores which are native to the grasslands of North America and through their various activities they provide vital support for other species. The underground homes of prairie dogs create shelter for jackrabbits, toads and rattlesnakes and their digging makes soil more fertile and allows seeds to germinate. The bare patches of ground created by their grazing and burrowing attract certain insects that feed a variety of birds.
Prairie dogs themselves are a key food source for other animals including coyotes, eagles, hawks, badgers and wolves. Prairie dogs are essential to the survival of the endangered black-footed ferret, being the main part of their diet. However, prairie dogs are no pushover – they are fast, skilled fighters with powerful teeth and it takes a while for black-footed ferrets to learn how to catch them.
Prairie dogs are very social and live in closely-knit family groups called "coteries." They only mate once a year with the female in oestrus for just an hour.
The female prairie dog does most of the care for the young including collecting grass for the nest and defending the nursery chamber. Male prairie dogs play their part by defending the territories and maintaining the burrows. The young spend their first six weeks below the ground being nursed. After they are then weaned and begin to surface from the burrow and by five months, they are fully grown.
Prairie dog litters consist of 3 to 8 pups but usually only half will survive their first year.